


Who Are You?

by MischiefHowl



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Bad Writing, Gen, I'm Bad At Tagging, Implied/Referenced Brainwashing, No Plot/Plotless, Out of Character, Psychological Torture, Torture, Violence, electroshock therapy, spoilers for the new gotham episode (s02e12)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-01
Updated: 2016-03-01
Packaged: 2018-05-24 03:39:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6140386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MischiefHowl/pseuds/MischiefHowl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Even through the worst of torture he would refuse to tell the truth. Even as his mind breaks and he forgets who he is he refuses to speak.. something.. for what ever reason he will not tell. And his rescuers came to late...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Who Are You?

**Author's Note:**

> Based around this art along with the new episode that killed my feelings: http://gobblepot-art-and-ask-blog.tumblr.com/post/140155435918/guysi-had-a-great-short-dream-where-jim-and 
> 
> The idea of Oswald refusing to yield and telling Strange about Jim being part of the murder of the former mayor. And the idea of Jim and Ed joining together to break Oswald out of Arkham makes me feel good.  
> So yes, spoilers for the new episode (s02e12) read at own risk.

There was no justice in Gotham, no matter how much someone tries to force justice. There was none. James Gordon saw it, saw that justice cannot be forced harshly nor lightly. And making the criminals out and treated lower than animals drove him to dislike the justice idea more and more. It wasn't right in his eyes. Gotham will not learn any from this but fear and more hatred for the GCPD.

Oswald was shown such cruelty as well. It was alright that he was captured, it was only right. And the clapping.. yes it was a celebration. They caught the deadly King of Gotham. Yet Barnes called him a specimen, a sad, pathetic scumbag... They had every right to clap. They caught the leader.. and yet for Oswald to be treated only as a scumbag. He shouldn't care, yet the bile that threatened to rise up shown he cared.. 

The smile Oswald gave him, shown Jim that this had to somehow be one of his insane plans. But it was not the greatest of his plans. His intentions must have been to prove that James was innocent. But in the end, Oswald was punished all the more. 

He was taken too Arkham. And how he feared what would happen there, having experience with the place. "He claimed to be insane." Barnes had said and Jim couldn't hide the color leaving his face. 

Edward was different as well, ever since it was revealed that he had nursed Oswald back to life. He seemed more angry, no more being pushed down. 

"That place will destroy him" Edward whispers while they were on break.

He'd been staring into his now cold coffee for god knows how long. Thinking over and over what and why Oswald would do this. The more he thought, the more he guessed that the King had believed somehow a plan would work and now has gone wrong. "We put away a dangerous man."

"He doesn't belong there. He might help with Gotham's criminals--"

"The police can help with that" He said it, but what came out sounded more unsure. Forcing those behind bars and yet things haven't changed. If anything, things were getting worse. Mr Freeze, being one of them. The criminals are not playing by the rules any longer. They are adapting and changing. And what were the GCPD doing? Catching one or two lower criminals and yelled at for feeling victorious. He was brought back to reality when he felt the now cold liquid on his hands and the crushed cup. "You and Penguin.. I understand that he may seem somehow like a nice man and you made an innocent mistake"

"He turned himself in to prove your innocence, James. Are you blind or do you make yourself think that he is evil just because of what he does? You're his friend and yet you turn your back on him for the sake of your badge." Edward shook his head and left out the door, closing it behind him. He breathes out. He had made a promise and he was intending to carry it out even if it kills him.

James looks down at the coffee that now slid and dripped off the table. He had a duty to do. Betraying this second chance would prove wrong and only put Lee in danger. And their child. He slams his fist onto the table. "Damn" He was torn whats again between what was right and what was.. wrong.

He'd continue to go between the ideas for a long month before finally he chose a path once again that would determine fate.  
The riddler looks at the black van, calculating some things only he could think of when Jim finally came forward and looks at him. "This is the last time. After this no more, even if he's on his death bed" He looks ahead, knowing that that was most likely a lie to make himself feel better. What he was doing was once again putting him in danger. But Barnes' justice didn't play out in his head as it did months ago. "And if you continue to help him, I will eventually have to arrest you to"

"Roger Dodger" Ed turned and smiled at the cop. "We are helping our friend. It's what friends do, James" He walks past him and unlocks the door with a key. "Are you driving or shall I?" Jim took the key from his hand and got into the driver's seat while Nygma got in on the other side. He looks behind him in the back and a look of horror shown on his face. There were guns from the GCPD! "Half of these are supposed to be evidence!"

"Yes, to collect dust on long cold cases. You must stop acting like everything is wrong or this will all fail"

"It is wrong.." He rests his head on the steering wheel, breathing out an annoyed sigh. Now he wanted to back right back out. But Ed would push forward and- he just had to do this. If Oswald can somehow tame crime in Gotham than it's a chance worth doing.

And the black van took off. Green question mark on both sides shown. And lacking the license plate. Next stop would be Arkham, not stopping until they reached their goal.

It was innocent looking though unsettling. It barely changed as they entered. Guns hidden safely in their jackets. It was to be calm request first. "We've come to visit the patient Oswald Cobblepot" Nygma looks down the hall, feeling just as unsettled.

"I'm sorry, he's in treatment." The woman replied with an emotionless tone. "I will let the Doctor know you stopped by" She didn't even look up at them as she looks at meaningless paperwork.

"Ma'am. We believe there is a misunderstanding. We must see Oswald, immediately" He took out his badge and her eyes looks at it with the same blank look.

"A badge is not much authority here. He cannot be seen right now-" Her words cut off themselves as Ed pulled out a pistol and pointed it at her. "What are-"

"Where. Is. Oswald!?" He nearly roared the question in her face. "If I see you press any button I will unload a bullet in you. Show!" 

"H-He's here!" She points at the map on the desk. Now full of fear for her life. She shook in terror as James looked in equal worry on his face. Ed smiles as he walks away. "Thank you for being so cooperative."

The two walked in silence for a long few minutes until Jim looks at Ed. "What the hell was that?"  
"What?"

"You threatened her with a gun"

"She was not going to give us answers. Also Oswald... in treatment. What does that mean?"

Before them was an elevator and they slowly turned to one another before pushing the only button. Down. And stepped inside. Pulling the metal door closed and descended down towards Indian Hill.

In that place made Jim feel sick to his stomach at the sight of people, blood, and gore. So far it seemed vacant. Aside from the sudden scream of agony that broke the silence. And made them run towards the room where in the window they saw what they had come for...  
Oswald was there in a chair. Strapped down with a collar and chain attached to his neck and a strange metal object around his face. Clearly he was being electrocuted, but not in a normal electroshock therapy. There was also fresh blood on the walls, floor, and chair as which he set out. Screaming out and begging muffled words.

"GCPD!" Jim yelled finally. "Stop!" He commanded. And the electricity surging through Oswald seemed to stop. Though his body twitched and he sat there, limp.

"Ahhh, James Gordon." Came a man's voice as he steps out from the darkness. "So it was you that scared the lady? My my" 

"Enough. This is torture, not therapy!" 

"Oh, but it is. Oswald is getting better. Slowly but surely. He's a tough bird.."

Edward pulled the door open and ran inside. Pulling the contraption off his face. And gasps at what he saw. James coming in and looking with a shocked expression.

Oswald lay limp, breathing extremely labored, almost like each breath was a burden to a much thinner body. His eyes were dead looking and blank.. "Dear god, Oswald."

His name seemed to make him look up at Jim and Ed. "Why.. are.. you..?" His voice was a hoarse whisper and he coughed. "here..?" He lets his head fall back down.

"We're taking you home now." Jim replied. He let the negative thoughts go. What this Doctor had done was.. monstrous. If they postponed this rescue mission another day- he dared not think of that outcome.

"But.. I'm sick... Jim.. I will get better... better for society.. better for my old.. friends.. better... I'm sick.. so sick.." The tears came from the broken king's eyes. "better... for.. you.. two.. than.. you can... no longer... owe.. me favors..." 

He unties the straps from the smaller wrists that shown red and purple bruising on them. The hands weakly grasping at Jim's shirt. Oswald was smaller now and so much weaker. "Ed we need to take him out of here now he needs medical attention-"

Strange watches the sight with uncaring eyes. He guessed he can let them go. But Oswald was such a rare specimen. Only breaking a day before this pathetic rescue attempt arrived and how he got into the mind of the murderer than. "You know that no medical place will help him. Only I can"

"You helped enough! I will make sure to let the station know about everything" Ed glared daggers at Strange. Cocking the gun.

"Don't you think they don't know? They don't care about the insane and sick. No one cares about them. Society just see's specimens to send to me. All they see is freaks that don't fit in. I help them. I make them better"

James felt the man quiver under him. And continuing to muffle 'I'm am sick but I am getting better' over and over like a dying record. He could only do what he thought was best. He puts his hands around Oswald and hugs him. His nose in black hair that smelt of blood and oil. But it didn't help. The words continued on and on.. growing softer and softer. "We have to get him help Now!" Edward nodded while making sure no one was there to stop them. He moves past Strange, followed by Jim who held Oswald in his arms. Ignoring the blood that stained his suit. Oswald looks up at Jim, no longer seeming to recognize him. "Ma... ma.. I'm getting better.. are you proud..?"

They had no choice. People stood in their way and they shot to kill. Either the insane or the nurses that were worse. "I kept you safe..." Oswald lost all consciousness by the time he got inside the van. And his breathing slowed down more. 

\---

The hospital was so far. But they made it and placed the man on the stretcher. It was an ugly sight to see. Oswald was malnourished, deep cuts and black burns from perhaps batons show on his body. He was in critical condition.. lasting through the night while a machine did most of his breathing. Life support slowly becoming an option as the hours past. 

The GCPD did not care of what was happening in Arkham and Jim knew it. A specimen was what Barnes had said. Did he mean more..?  
"We have him in stable condition...." The doctor trailed off. "But his mentality will never be the same. The volts and who knows what else pushed into his brain may have permanently damaged it."

Nygma hung his head, feeling guilty. "So.. we were to late?"

"You two may see him. But I warn you that he may no longer recognize either of you."

Entering the room they witnessed the man they both knew. IVs stuck into him and him being strapped down again. His eyes looked blankly at the ceiling while the machine helped him breathe. 

"Oswald" Jim tried. And the man turns his head to look at him with a weak smile.

"Old friend" It gave him hope for a moment, only for it to break. "Where is my old friend? Jim.. I can't wait to see how his baby looks.. I will get better for my friends.. Be a better king.. I am sick..."

"God, Oswald. We're right here. We saved you from Strange.." Ed tried to look him in the eye but received the same unfamiliar expression. "I saved you. Remember in the woods.. you were dying and I helped you?"

"Nygma.. helped me. I don't recall you did.. Ed did.. Riddler helped me.. yes" It was no use. Oswald's mind was warped and even with all their tries. It broke them to know that he no longer knew them. And they cried and hugged Penguin tight. A hug that the man could no longer grasp... _'I kept you safe'_ Jim realized.. without a doubt that that was last bit of his sanity. He held the truth through all of this.. and now.. now..

"Why are you crying, mister?"


End file.
